Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis (NC&StL) Passenger Trains

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Passenger Trains for the Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway (NC&StL)

Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis (NC&StL) Railway

The Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway (NC&StL), affectionately known as “The Dixie Line,” operated a well-regarded passenger service across the southeastern United States until its full absorption by the Louisville & Nashville (L&N) in 1957. Despite never reaching the city of St. Louis, as its name implied, the NC&StL was a vital regional carrier with routes connecting major cities like Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta, while also serving as a crucial link for northern railroads running trains to Florida. The railroad, with its rich Civil War history, prided itself on providing reliable service, a reputation it solidified by modernizing older heavyweight cars and even assembling its own streamlined train, the City of Memphis, after World War II. 

Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway - NC&StL

Photo: City of Memphis, personal collection.

NC&StL’s competitors and competing trains

NC&StL faced stiff competition from several railroads, some of which were partners on joint routes:

  • Louisville & Nashville (L&N): Even before the full merger, the L&N was NC&StL’s primary competitor in much of its territory, vying for traffic between Nashville and Atlanta, as well as on the Chicago-Florida routes. L&N’s Georgian and Pan-American competed for some of the same travelers.
  • Southern Railway: Southern was a major competitor for traffic in Tennessee and Georgia, especially for passengers traveling between Atlanta and the Midwest or Northeast. The Southern Railway’s Tennessean also operated over a portion of NC&StL track.
  • Illinois Central (IC): As a partner on the “Dixie Route,” the IC was also a competitor for passengers traveling between Chicago and the South. Its flagship trains, like the City of New Orleans and Panama Limited, offered a more direct, dedicated route to New Orleans.
  • Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) & Seaboard Air Line (SAL): These two rivals dominated the Florida market and competed directly with the “Dixie Route” trains that NC&StL participated in. 

Overview of NC&StL passenger trains

City of Memphis (1947–1957)

  • Route: Memphis to Nashville.
  • Major intermediate cities: Jackson, TN.
  • Features and amenities: The NC&StL’s own streamlined train, known for its sleek design and famously smooth ride. The railroad modernized older heavyweight cars in its shops to create a new, attractive streamliner for the route. The train included a diner and tavern-lounge service. All of the original cars from this train were later preserved, with most now residing at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.
  • Marketing: Promoted as the premier train on the Memphis-Nashville route, it offered a modern, comfortable travel experience. 

Georgian (1946–1971 as L&N)

  • Route: Initially St. Louis to Atlanta, later Chicago to Atlanta via the L&N.
  • Major intermediate cities: Evansville, Nashville, and Chattanooga.
  • Features and amenities: A streamlined train that NC&StL operated jointly with the L&N. It featured coaches, a diner, and a tavern-lounge.
  • Marketing: Promoted as a modern, reliable link between the Midwest and Atlanta. 

Lookout (early 1900s–1957)

  • Route: Memphis to Chattanooga (via Nashville).
  • Features and amenities: A reliable regional train that carried passengers across Tennessee, offering a mix of coaches and, historically, Pullman service.
  • Marketing: Targeted regional travelers in Tennessee, offering a dependable service that linked the state’s major cities. 

Volunteer (early 1900s–1957)

  • Route: Memphis to Chattanooga (via Nashville).
  • Features and amenities: Similar to the Lookout, the Volunteer was another regional service that provided an essential link between the state’s main cities.
  • Marketing: Aimed at regional and local travelers, providing a no-frills but reliable service. 

The Dixie Line (various trains, early 1900s–1969)

The NC&StL, also known as “The Dixie Line,” operated a fleet of joint-service trains with the same nickname in partnership with other railroads. These trains connected major midwestern hubs like Chicago and St. Louis with Florida. The NC&StL handled the portion of the route between Nashville and Atlanta. These services often carried passengers and mail, and their equipment varied depending on the specific train and era. 

  • Features and amenities: These trains, which were operated in partnership with multiple railroads (including L&N, C&EI, ACL, and Florida East Coast), used a mix of equipment. The services often featured dining cars, lounge cars, and sleeper service.
  • Marketing: Heavily marketed as the “Dixie Route” to travelers from the Midwest heading to the Florida vacationland. 

Overview of Dixie Line passenger trains

Dixie Flyer
  • Route: Chicago and St. Louis to Florida (Miami, Tampa, and St. Petersburg).
  • Major intermediate cities: Evansville, IN; Nashville, TN; Chattanooga, TN; Atlanta, GA; Macon, GA; Albany, GA; Jacksonville, FL.
  • Features and amenities: The premier train on the Dixie Route, the Dixie Flyer began in 1892 as a service from Nashville to Jacksonville and was later extended to Chicago and St. Louis. It was a heavyweight train featuring Pullman sleepers and dining car service. In later years, particularly after WWII, some streamlined equipment was introduced.
  • Marketing: Marketed as a direct and reliable way for Midwest travelers to reach Florida’s vacation destinations, the Dixie Flyer was a staple of the NC&StL’s passenger service. 
Dixie Flagler (1940–1957)
  • Route: Chicago to Miami.
  • Major intermediate cities: Same as the Dixie Flyer, including Nashville and Atlanta.
  • Features and amenities: A streamlined train that began as a Florida-only service in 1939 and was extended to Chicago in 1940. It ran every third day in a pool with the South Wind and City of Miami. The train offered both coaches and sleeping cars.
  • Marketing: Promoted as a modern, high-speed, and all-streamlined alternative for passengers traveling to Florida, particularly during the winter season. 
Dixie Limited
  • Route: Chicago and St. Louis to Florida.
  • Major intermediate cities: Same as the Dixie Flyer.
  • Features and amenities: A reliable, heavyweight train that ran on a similar schedule and route as the Dixie Flyer, often serving as a secondary service. It provided standard coach and Pullman service.
  • Marketing: Appealed to passengers seeking a dependable journey to Florida, albeit with less of the premium service associated with the Dixie Flyer or the speed of the Dixie Flagler. 
Dixieland (1954–1957)
  • Route: Chicago to Miami.
  • Major intermediate cities: Same as the Dixie Flagler.
  • Features and amenities: The Dixie Flagler was briefly renamed the Dixieland in 1954 before it was discontinued in 1957. It ran as an overnight streamliner offering similar amenities to the earlier Dixie Flagler.
  • Marketing: Its marketing was a continuation of the strategy used for the Dixie Flagler, emphasizing speed and modernity. 
Dixie Mail / Dixie Express (Varies)
  • Route: Chicago/St. Louis to Florida.
  • Major intermediate cities: Same as other Dixie Route trains.
  • Features and amenities: These trains primarily handled mail and express, with some passenger coaches attached. They typically ran on a slower schedule and with less premium equipment than the named passenger trains.
  • Marketing: Not heavily marketed to the public, as their primary function was mail and express service. 

How NC&StL trains operated after the L&N acquisition

The relationship between the L&N and NC&StL was a complex one that dated back to the 1880s, when the L&N acquired control of its smaller rival. Despite the L&N’s ownership stake, the NC&StL maintained its operational independence for decades, running its own passenger service and maintaining its distinctive identity. The formal merger in 1957 marked the end of the NC&StL as an independent entity, but its train services were not immediately discontinued. 

  • Integration with L&N: L&N took direct control of the NC&StL’s routes, rolling stock, and train operations.
  • Economization: L&N, with its larger system, began a process of rationalizing passenger routes, consolidating some services, and eventually discontinuing the least profitable ones.
  • Continuation of key trains: Some of NC&StL’s popular services, especially those running as part of the “Dixie Route” to Florida, continued for some time under L&N management, though they were gradually scaled back. The most notable passenger trains were kept running, often with updated or mixed L&N equipment.
  • Modernization efforts: While some NC&StL equipment was scrapped, some of the modernized cars from the City of Memphis were integrated into L&N’s own rolling stock, serving on other routes. 

Amtrak takeover of national passenger train service

Following the L&N’s absorption of the NC&StL and Amtrak’s 1971 takeover, many of the historic Dixie Route trains were discontinued. Amtrak decided not to retain service over most of these routes, focusing instead on other corridors. For example, the L&N-operated portion of the Dixie Route was not continued under Amtrak. As a result, the trains and the “Dixie Line” legacy effectively ended when passenger operations were turned over to the new national rail system. 

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

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